Don't expect to see Dan Carter on the rugby field anytime soon as he works his way back to full fitness, the new Blues recruit has confirmed.
Cater has signed with the Auckland franchise as an injury replacement for Stephen Perofeta, who will miss the majority of the Super Rugby Aotearoa season after fracturing his foot.
The 38-year-old will bring much-needed experience to the team, having played 141 games for the Crusaders, where he won three Super Rugby titles during his career, before stints in France and Japan.
Carter was playing in Japan for the Kokobe Steelers, but when the season was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, he returned to Auckland to be with his wife and three kids.
Then his former teammate, close friend and current Blues coach Leon MacDonald came calling and Carter couldn't say no to helping out.
But it might be a while before the former three-time World Rugby Player of the Year is back out on the field due to his limited game time in the last year after undergoing neck surgery.
"I have to be realistic. I've played six games in the last 18 months," he told reporters.
"It's going to be a process...no contact the last three months. The games in Japan gave me a lot of confidence to bounce back from the neck injury I had.
"Once I can get some work under the belt with the training, I want to be out there competing."
MacDonald said Carter has lots of work to do before putting on a jersey.
"We have to take our time and make sure we progress him safely. He has lots of work to get through before we start considering selection.
"Don't expect to see him on the field in the early weeks."
Carter, a proud Cantabrian, admitted he never imagined playing for the Blues, but now it is closer to becoming a reality.
Having previously knocked back the Blues when John Kirwan and Tana Umaga was at the helm, he admitted it was weird putting on a blue coloured jersey instead of the red and black of the Crusaders.
"I talked to the old man," explained Carter. "As a proud Cantab...as he has been throughout my career he's been supportive. I've talked to Razor to let him know my reasoning, too.
"It's all happened really quickly. Last week I probably thought this was the last place I would be."
"I don't want to think about what it would be like to play against the Crusaders - if that were to happen. I'll deal with that later on.
"It wasn't until Leon called saying Stevie [Perofeta] had been ruled out for the season, that's when I thought about it. It's a bit of a favour for a good mate of mine and I'll keep that favour in the back pocket."
The Blues face the Hurricanes in their opening match of Super Rugby Aotearoa on June 14 at Eden Park.
